The Aviva group has decided to end its association with Philippe Sorret.
The Aviva group has decided to end its association with Philippe Sorret.
Mr Sorret has expressed disagreement with the change in strategy unveiled by the Aviva Group in June, mainly concerning the restructuring of Aviva France, the management model, the devolution of responsibilities and the European strategy. Mr Sorret is particularly unhappy about the chief executive’s role in France and at European level. In the latest development phase of Aviva France, which is becoming increasingly European, the difference in views persuaded the group that the time had come to part company with Mr Sorret.
The Aviva group is keen to pay tribute to Mr Sorret’s achievements since joining Aviva France on 1 March 1986 and his constant dedication to each of the posts held within the group.
Philippe Sorret, 47, is a graduate of France’s exclusive engineering university the Ecole Polytechnique. He also trained as an engineer at ENSTA, the prestigious engineering institute, and is a qualified actuary. He joined Abeille Assurances in 1986, where over a five-year period he held a series of posts, including IT project manager and head of major accounts.
He was subsequently appointed as deputy director of health insurance, a post he held until 1993, when he took over the commercial side of Abeille’s network of insurance brokers. Two years later he moved to CGU France, where he was in charge of Eurofil’s insurance operations. In 1999, he became general manager of the company, one of the leading providers of direct insurance in France, a position he held until 2002.
In July of that year, he joined the Group’s life assurance division as commercial director of marketing, organisation and management, before becoming chief executive in 2003. In 2005, he was also made chief executive of Aviva Assurances. A member of the board and assistant chief executive of Aviva France, he was also a director of savings association AFER.
More recently, Philippe Sorret introduced a policy to modernise the company’s processes based on networks and customers, and oversaw the successful launch of the Antarius partnership with Crédit du Nord.
As a result of this decision, the following changes have been made.
The boards of Aviva Vie and Aviva Assurances have named chairman Jean-Pierre Menanteau as chairman and chief executive, and Jean-Luc François as deputy chairman and assistant chief executive.
The following have also been appointed to the board:
- Aviva Vie: Jean-Francois Boulier, chairman of the board of Aviva Investors France; Sylvie Bratel, head of strategy, organisation, efficiency and methods; Christian Martin, head of life assurance/pensions and actuarial services; Laurence Mitrovic, head of legal affairs and compliance; Aymeric Oudin, general secretary; Nicolas Schimel, head of distribution; Michel Payon, president of the French insurance brokers union.
- Aviva Assurance: Sylvie Bratel, head of strategy, organisation, performance and processes; Laurence Mitrovic, head of legal affairs and compliance; Aymeric Oudin, general secretary; Nicolas Schimel, head of distribution; Claude Zaouati, head of non-life and health insurance; Michel Payon, president of the French insurance brokers union.
On 16 February, SEV’s board of directors appointed Claude Sarrois, head of accounting and financial reporting, as chief executive, and will recommend the appointment of Jean-Luc François at the next general meeting.
The following appointments will also be proposed at the next board meetings:
- Jean-Pierre Menanteau as chairman of Eurofil and Epargne Actuelle
- Jean-François Boulier as director of Antarius, a joint venture with Crédit du Nord, taking over from Eric Duval de la Guierce
- Laurence Mitrovic as director of Epargne Actuelle and of savings association AFER
- Aymeric Oudin as director of Eurofil, Antarius and Kareo Services, a joint venture with Generali
- Sylvain Rivet, head of bancassurance and partnerships, as assistant chief executive of Antarius
- Nicolas Schimel, head of distribution, as director of AFER and Epargne Actuelle
- Laurent Thérézien, head of marketing, customer relations, direct business and communication, as deputy chairman and chief executive of Eurofil and Epargne Actuelle
- Claude Zaouati as director and assistant chief executive of Eurofil
- Claude Sarrois as director of Epargne Actuelle
- David Fitoussi as assistant chief executive of Epargne Actuelle
- Frank Roullier, head of multichannel and direct insurance, as assistant chief executive of Eurofil.
-ends-
Aviva press officers:
Dominique Eluau
Telephone: +33 (0)1 76 62 57 72
E-mail: dominique_eluau@aviva.fr
Estelle Joubert
Telephone: +33 (0)1 76 62 57 86
E-mail: estelle_joubert@aviva.fr
Notes to editors:
About Aviva
Aviva is the world’s fifth-largest insurance group*, with 50 million customers across Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region. Aviva’s principal business activities are: life insurance and long-term savings, asset management and general insurance.
At 31 December 2008, Aviva had total turnover of €64.3 billion, with €393 billion in assets under management. Aviva is the largest insurer in the UK and one of the leading providers of life insurance and pension products in Europe. A selection of images and all the press releases from the Aviva group are available in the press area www.aviva.com/media.
With more than 180 years’ experience in France, Aviva is among the top ten players in the insurance market. Aviva France has a solid and profitable multi-distribution model based on a comprehensive range of products, mainly intended for consumers and SMEs.
Some 900 insurance agents, 1,800 branch staff, 400 life insurance advisers, almost 900 wealth management advisers (Union Financière de France) and more than 1,000 active partner brokers are on hand to serve three million customers every day. Aviva has developed unique expertise in building effective partnerships for the benefit of its customers, particularly with AFER, the largest savings association in France, and the Crédit du Nord, Société Générale and Ford groups.
Specialising in unit-linked products, Aviva is recognised for the excellent performance of its long-term funds, the quality and innovation of its products, and solid commitment to its customers through its Good Advice approach.
Aviva France is a socially responsible company and has developed initiatives that include reducing and neutralising its CO2 emissions, supporting more than 250 projects to help children and the elderly through the Aviva Foundation, and implementing an acclaimed diversity policy.
The Aviva group directly employs more than 4,700 staff in France.
At 31 December 2008, Aviva France reported consolidated sales of €6.0 billion and an IFRS-based net profit of €130 million. The company had €69.6 billion of assets under management at 31 December 2008.
* Based on gross worldwide premiums at 31 December 2008.